68-82 Corvette Suspension Upgrade

Building A Shark Suspension For The Everyday Driver

Step By Step

Unless the control arms are new or cleaned already like the ones at the Corvette Clinic, youll have to remove the bushings and ball joints. Pneumatic tools like this one with a pickle-fork tip will make short order of removing the old bushings.

The first step is to insert the metal sleeve into the control arm. You can either press in the sleeve or tap it in with a socket and a hammer. Either way, make sure the sleeve goes in straight, or you could damage it.

Inspect the cross-shafts for wear. This is the time to clean and paint them before you install them. Also, you should run a tap through the threads to clean them up. Youll notice there is a high side and a flat side to the shafts.

Install the cross-shaft into the control arm. Make sure the two-bolt-hole end of the shaft is toward the front of the car once the control arm is installed. The sway-bar mount (by Archies left hand) should also face the front of the car. Put some silicone grease between the bushing material and the inner sleeve of the bushing to ensure quiet operation.

Always use new lock washers under the bolt heads to make sure they dont back out. The guys at Corvette Clinic will wait until all of the parts are installed and the car is sitting on the ground before they torque the bolts to 50 lb-ft.

The cross-shafts on the upper control arms are installed next. Again, use silicone grease on the bushing. Use new lock washers, and wait to torque the shaft-end bolts when the entire suspension is installed.

Install the coil spring and jack up on the lower control arm until you can insert the upper ball-joint stud into the spindle. Consider wrapping a chain around the coil spring and the lower control arm as a safety precaution to keep the spring from coming out, should anything unexpected happen.

Once both the upper and lower ball joints are secure, torque them to 50 lb-ft (upper) and 80 lb-ft (lower). If you need to align the hole to insert the cotter pin, TIGHTEN the nut. Never loosen it. If you havent already, now is the time to tighten the cross-shaft bolts on the upper and lower control arms. They should be 50 lb-ft.

We needed to replace the brake rotors, and we replaced the hub bearings and seals while we were at it. To remove the rivets that hold the rotor onto the hub, take a center punch and punch a mark for the drill bit to start in.

We were within the limits but, if necessary, Chris at the Corvette Clinic will use these thin shims to bring the runout into allowable limits. You should have no more than .005-inch runout when finished.

Also, we installed the supplied polyurethane boots on the tie-rod ends to complete the installation.

In one respect, the 68-82 Corvettes front suspension isnt much different from any other vehicle on the road today. Time and use will eventually take their toll, and parts will wear out. Archie Rose at the Corvette Clinic showed us what they do to bring a sharks front end to better-than-new condition.

While not the most extreme front suspension that can be put on the front of a 68-82 Corvette, this style has proven itself durable and reliable while providing a high level of comfort. The owner wanted a car that was driveable and looked stock. He should be very pleased.

There is an abundance of parts for the poplular Camaro, which includes control arms, and we have set a list of companies that offer what you're looking for in terms of performance, style, and budget. Camaro Performers Magazine » Read More